Nanjangud highway construction work has come under scrutiny after farmers staged a protest outside the Irrigation Department office, alleging poor quality, inadequate safety measures and unauthorised use of canal water and soil for the project.
Members of the Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha and Hasiru Sene gathered outside the Nanjangud Irrigation Department office on Thursday under the leadership of the organisation’s state working president, T.R. Vidyasagar. The protesters raised slogans against the contractor and highway officials and submitted a memorandum to irrigation department officers.
According to the farmers, the highway development work being carried out near Hosa Halli Gate by the highway development authority is of poor quality. They alleged that the project has been executed without adequate safety standards, contributing to an increase in accidents in the area.
Vidyasagar said a young man had recently died in a road accident and demanded that a First Information Report be registered against the contractor if the construction deficiencies were found to have contributed to the death. He warned that the farmers’ organisation would launch a larger protest unless action was taken to provide justice.
The protesters also alleged that canal water meant to flow to farmers’ fields had been used without authorisation for the highway work. They further claimed that thousands of tonnes of soil had been taken from a canal embankment without payment of royalty. The allegations involve the use of public irrigation assets and material for road construction, placing responsibility on the concerned departments to examine the permissions, quantities and payments involved.
The farmers gave the authorities time until Saturday to act on these complaints. They warned that they would block the highway and hold a road protest if no action was taken by then.
The protest ended after the memorandum was submitted to irrigation department officials. The report does not include a response from the contractor, highway authorities or irrigation department officials to the allegations. The next stated development is the farmers’ proposed road blockade if action is not taken by Saturday.
